Open ratchet wrench



July 5, 1955 Filed June 28, 1951 H. L. FISH 2,712,256

OPEN RATCHET WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR He/aazrar L. F/sH ATTORNEYS July 5, 1955 Filed June 28 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6/12 la a! if Henge L. fig'iglToR ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oflice 2,712,256 Patented July 5, 1955 OPEN RATCHET WRENCH Herbert L. Fish, Inglewood, Calif., assignor to Tubing Appliance Company, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application June 28, 1951, Serial No. 234,077

4 Claims. (Cl. 8158.2)

This invention relates generally to wrenches and more particularly to open end ratchet wrenches having direct nut-engaging portions.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my parent application Serial No. 590,577, filed April 27, 1945, now Patent No. 2,578,686, December 18, 1951, entitled Split Ratchet Socket Wrench which is a continuation-in-part of my now abandoned application Serial No. 531,325, filed April 17, 1944, entitled Split Ratchet Socket Wrench for B Nuts.

Wrenches of this general type are known in the art and are usually characterized by a number of undesirable features which limit their utility. Among these features are a lack of compactness rendering them impractical in limited working spaces; a lack of reversibility, an insufficiently rugged construction making them vulnerable to excessive spreading under heavy loads to which this type of wrench is often subjected; a general cumbersomeness in use rendering them unpopular with mechanics, and an unnecessarily high initial cost which prohibits sales success on the open highly competitive market.

Accordingly the chief object of the present invention is to provide a wrench construction which will obviate the foregoing disadvantages characterizing known structures.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an open type ratchet wrench of maximum strength and minimum overall dimensions particularly adapted for use in difficult applications such as to encircle tubing, conduit, cable, shafting, etc. in close quarters when wrenches of ordinary construction cannot be used.

A further important object of the invention is to provide an improved ratchet wrench construction having means for reversing the driving connection between the pawl and the nut-engaging or driving hub.

A further important object of the invention is to provide an improved wrench head and handle construction of the fewest operative parts possible, all of which are quickly and easily assembled or replaced, strong, and economically and readily manufactured.

Another important object is to provide an improved ratchet Wrench head with which a torque wrench may be used in limited working space, without the necessity of using additional adaptors or accessories.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In its broadest aspects, the invention comprises an open end ratchet wrench of maximum strength and minimum overall dimensions which may be reversed and is so constructed and reinforced as to prevent excessive widening of the nut-engaging member under high stresses during use.

In the drawings, I have shown two embodiments of the invention. In these showings: I

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of the Wrench comprising the present invention;

Figure 2 is atop plan view thereof broken away in part to show certain details of construction as seen on line 22 of Figure 3;

all)

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view thereof;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view thereof taken on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of another form of the invention showing the detachable handle;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan view thereof showing the handle inserted in the wrench head from the bottom;-

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the wrench head with the cover plate removed;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view ofthe invention taken on the line 88 of Figure 6; andv Figure 9 is a fragmentary top plan'view of a further modification of the invention.

Referring to Figures 14 inclusive of the drawings, numeral 10 indicates the wrench as a whole which comprises a relatively thick handle 11 and a head v12 fastened thereto as by screws 13. The head 12 comprises a pair of spaced jaws or body members 14 and 15 having a slot 16-formed therein, the inner portion 18 of the slot having the form of a segment of a circle. The width of the slots 16 is less than the diameter of the circular portion 18 of the slot.

For engaging a nut, a collaror hub 20' may have internal teeth-like elements 22 formed therein and external circular bearing elements or shoulders 23 constructed for engaging with a snug working fit in the circular portions 18 of the slots 16 in the bodies 14 and15' and to be flush with their surfaces. A gap or slot 24 is provided in the hub 20 of approximately the same width as the slot 16.

Ratchet teeth 25 are formed on the external surface or periphery of the hub 20 between the shoulders 23, the outer diameter of the teeth being greater than the diameter of the shoulders 23 which fitsnugly between the bodies 14 and 15. The teeth 25 are designed to permit the hub to be revolved in either direction as may be convenient, for example, for operating on nuts having rightorlefthand threads. I

For revolving the nut engaginghub 20 in a clockwise direction, a set of two right-hand pawls 26 and 27 (Figure 2) are pivoted to and between the bodies 14 and 15 to the right of the handle 11. The pawls-26and 27 are.

positioned so that their free ends engage the hub teeth 25 far enough apart as to always leave one of the pair of pawls in engagement with some of the teeth 25- when the free end of the other pawl of the pair is disposed in,

the gap in the pawl teeth which coincides with the slotv in the hub 20.

Another pair of pawls 28 and 29 are pivoted alongside the pawls 26 and 27 for revolving the hub 20 counterclockwise when such operation is desirable. The pawls 27 and 28 are preferably mounted on the same pin 30 fastened in the bodies 14 and 15, and the pawls 26 and 29 are preferably mounted on the same pin 31.

For pressing the pawls 27 and 28 into. engagement with the teeth 25, a single leaf spring 32 which has one end portion fastened in the handle 11, has the other portion split and formed suitably for engaging the associated pawls. Similarly, a single split leaf spring 33 may be employed for pressing the pawls 26 and 29 againstthe teeth 25.

For holding one of the pairs of pawls described above inoperative while the other pair is in use, a revolubie cam unit indicated as a whole as 35 may be. mounted between the pawls pivoted on the pin 30 and the pawls pivoted on the pin 31. This cam unit 35 has two integrally joined cams 36 and 37 so disposed that when the cam 36, referring now to Figure 2, is in the position shown with its major axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wrench, it holds the pawls 28 and 29 outwardly in an inoperative position. A small round detent opposite ends of the cam 36 and holds it securely in its 3 operative position and the pawls 28 and 29 in their inoperative positions.

The construction and operation of the cam 37 and the pawls 26 and 27 are similar tothat of the cam 63 and its associated pawls. The cam unit 35 is mounted on a short shaft 39 which projects slightly above the surfaces of the body 14 and has fastened to it a short handle 4% for operating the cams 36 and 37. It will be noted that the hub 20 is held securely in position in the wrench by means of the bodies 14 and 15 and spreading of the bodies or the hub during the application of high stresses thereto is prevented by the reinforcement afforded by the shoulders 23 and their mutual cooperation.

Figures 5-8 inclusive of the drawings disclose a simpler form of the invention wherein the ratchet hub is not reversible by the means just described but wherein the same results may be obtained by reversal of the wrench body itself. In this form of the invention, the handle 41 is detachably mounted in the wrench by means of a short inner shank 42 and may be pivoted through an angle of 180 with respect thereto by means of a knuckle 43. The handle is provided with a cross bar 44 which is slidably mounted in an aperture 45 and is used primarily for leverage purposes when the handle 41 and the inner shank 42 are in axial alignment.

The inner shank 42 is non-circular in cross-section and is adapted to be received in a conforming aperture 46 formed in the wrench head. The shank 42 may be provided with a spring pressed ball (not shown) for cooperation with a groove (not shown) formed in the sides of the aperture 46 as is conventional.

The generally oval shaped wrench head indicated as a whole as 50 comprises a cover plate 51 attached by screws to a lower body portion 52 and both formed with a slot 54 at one end for the accommodation of a conduit, etc. during use of the wrench. The slot 54 is in communication with a bore 55, both extending throughout the thickness of the head 50.

A hub 56 is rotatably mounted in the bore as will be further described, and is also formed with a slot 57 corresponding to and of approximately the same width as the slot 54, and opening into a direct nut-engaging aperture 58 of the crowfoot type. The hub 56 is provided with ratchet teeth 59 about its entire unslotted periphery.

An annular flange 60 forming a part of the body 52 and bounded by an annular groove 61 surrounds the base of the bore 55 (Figure 8). The hub 56 is guided and strongly reinforced in its rotation in the bore 55 by a depending annular flange 62. formed on the hub 56 and bearing in the groove 61. The annular flange 62 is also bounded by a groove 63 in which the body flange 60 bears, that is, the body flange 60 and body groove 61 are complementary to the hub groove 63 and the hub flange 62, respectively. It will be noted that the shoulders 64 of the hub 56 bear against and are reinforced by both the inside edges of the cover plate 51 and the flange 60 which define the bore 55.

A pair of flat pawls 65 are pivotally mounted in recesses 66 of the body 52 and are urged against the ratchet teeth 59 by spring members 67. The pawls 65 and the hub 56 are retained in the body 52 by means of the cover plate 51. The pawls are so arranged and spaced that one is always in engagement with the teeth 59 for driving the hub 56 in a single direction regardless of the position of the slot 57. In order to reverse the direction of rotation of the nut-engaging hub 56, the wrench 50 must be turned over.

The nut-engaging aperture of the hub 56 is of the crowfoot type formed for direct engagement with a nut and .is placed in engagement therewith axially of the nut. When a larger or smaller nut is to be operated upon, another hub 56 having the appropriate sized nut-engaging aperture 58 may be readilysubstituted by merely 4 removing the cover plate 51, or by using a ditferent size wrench head.

The form of the invention disclosed in Figure 9 is identical in all respects to that shown in Figures 5-8 inclusive with the exception of the nut-engaging aperture in the hub 56. As shown, the slot 57 indicated by x is U-shaped. This torm'of open end ratchet wrench may, therefore, be placed'in engagement with a nut by moving the wrench over the nut either axially or transversely thereof.

In use, the slot 57 in the hub is aligned with the slot 54 in the body 52 and cover 51 whereupon the head 50 may be slid over a nut which is then engaged by the sides of the slot 57. Where it is desired to axially engage a nut on a conduit, etc., the head 50 is moved so that the conduit enters the slots 54 and 57 to the central portion of the aperture 58 whereupon the sides of the aperture'may be axially moved to engage the nut. The hub 56 is now rotated by continuous oscillation of the handle 41 to tighten or loosen the nut. To reverse the operation, the head 50 is removed from the nut after realigning the slots 54 and 5 7, the handle 41 removed from the head which is turned over, and the handle reinserted or both the handle and head are turned over if space permits. The head is re-engaged with the nut whereupon oscillation of the handle in the same manner will loosen or tighten the nut.

It will be appreciated that the handle 41 may be pivoted through afull 360 degree angle. This is accomplished by detaching it and reinserting it on the opposite side of the wrench and pivoting it on that side an additional 180 degrees. It will be noted that this does not reverse the action of the wrench'unless the head 50 is also reversed. This ability to pivot the handle more than 180 degrees by reinserting it in the opposite side is very important, especially when taken with the fact that the handle may originally be placed in'the wrench at either of two positions, parallel to the plane of the head or at degrees thereto. This enables the wrench to be used at almost any angle. It will be obvious that the improved ratchet wrench heads disclosed may be used with a torque wrench in limited working space without the necessity of using additional adaptors or accessories.

It will now be readily apparent that the forms of the x invention disclosed are of great utility around conduits,

etc. where space is limited and will withstand high stresses without excessive widening orundue spreading of the jaws formed by the slots due to their reinforcing and guiding structure. The nut engaging hubs, as well as other parts, may be readily replaced for use of the head with dilferent sized nuts, and the direction of rotation of the hubs may be readily reversed as described.

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention herewith shown. and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A wrench comprising a head having an annular bore therein and an open slot extending from the exterior of the head into said bore, a handle element fixed to said head for rotating the same, a hub journaled for rotation 'in said bore, said hub having an opening formed with a wall concentric with the axis of rotation of the hub, said hub also having an open slot extending from the exterior thereof into said opening and adapted to register with the slot in the head in one rotative position of the hub, ratchet drive means operatively connecting the head and the hub whereby the hub may be rotated upon rotation oithe head, said ratchet means comprising an annular series of teeth formed on the periphery of said hub, two pairs of pawls mounted in said head, the pawls of each pair being alternately engageable with said teeth to rotate said hub in one direction or the other depending on element fixed within said head portion and extending;

therefrom, said head portion having an annular bore communicating with the inner end of the slot of said head portion; a hub member having an annular guide shoulder formed adjacent each end thereof engaging and coacting with the wall of said bore for mounting and supporting said hub member for rotative movement, said hub having an opening formed with a wall concentric with the axis ot rotation of the hub and having a slot extending from the periphery thereof into said opening and adapted to register with the slot in the head portion in one rotative position of the hub member; a single annular series of ratchet teeth circumferentially formed about said hub member intermediate said shoulders; a pair of spaced bearing members carried with said head portion; two sets of paired pawls, one of each set pivotally mounted on each of said bearing members and spring biased into engagement with said series of ratchet teeth; and manually operable cam means for holding a selected set of paired pawls out of engagement with said ratchet teeth whereby the direction of rotation of said hub member may be preselected. I

3. A wrench of the type described, comprising: a head portion having an opening therethrough; a handle element projecting from said head portion; a hub member; guide means carried by said hub member and coacting with guide means formed internally of said head for mounting and supporting said hub member on said head portion for rotative movement; an annular series of ratchet teeth circumferentially formed about said hub member; a pair of pawl elements journaled on a commc'= bearing within said head portion; a second pair of pawl elements journaled on a common bearing spaced from said first mentioned common bearing; means tending to resiliently urge said pawl elements into engagement with said teeth; a pawl element of one pair of elements coaciing with a pawl element of said second pair, as said handle element is swung in one direction, to rotatably drive said head element in one direction, the other pawl element of said first pair coacting with the second pawl element of the other pair of elements, as said handle element is SWJl 'T in the opposite direction, to rotatably drive said hub member in a direction opposite to the direction of the first mentioned drive; cam means rotatably mounted intermediate said spaced bearings and rotatable between alternate positions for holding a selected pair of coacting pawl elements out of engagement with said teeth; and manually operable means for actuating said cam means.

4. An open ended ratchet type socket wrench, comprising: a hollow radially slotted head portion; a handle element fixed within said head portion and extending therefrom, said head portion having an annular bore communicating with the inner end of the slot of said head portion; a hub member having an annular guide shoulder formed adjacent each end thereof engaging and coacting with the wall of said bore for mounting and supporting said hub member for rotative movement, said hub having an opening formed with a wall concentric with the axis of rotation of the hub and having a slot extending from the periphery thereof into said opening and adapted to register with the slot in the head portion in one rotative position of the hub member; an annular series of ratchet teeth circumferentially formed about said hub member intermediate said shoulders; a pair of pawl elements journaled on a common hearing within said head portion; a second pair of pawl elements journaled on a common bearing spaced from said first mentioned common bearing; means tending to resiliently urge said pawl elements into engagement with said teeth; a pawl element of one pair of elements coacting with a pawl element of said second pair, as said handle element is swung in one direction, to rotatably drive said head element in one direction, the other pawl element of said first pair coacting with the second pawl element of the other pair of elements, as said handle element is swung in the opposite direction, to rotatably drive said hub member in a direction opposite to the first mentioned drive; and means for holding a selected pair of coacting pawl elements out of engagement with said teeth.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

